Liquid nicotine can poison kids

St. Louis (KSDK) -- We begin our series about what's poisoning children in Missouri and Illinois with a common theme poison centers are seeing on both sides of the river.

Nicotine poisonings are common in young children who get their hands on any number of products.

E-cigarettes are very popular. There's no tobacco, but there is nicotine in this cartridge.

Some versions of e-cigarettes contain a refillable cartridge that you can add a liquid nicotine solution to, which is known as e-liquid. But here's the problem, experts say if a child ingests just one drop, that's enough to be a potential toxin. Experts also say e-liquid, absorbs quickly and can lead to nausea and vomiting. And because of the concentrated amount of nicotine, there's a high risk for seizures and even death in children.

"If you look at the container that the liquid is for the electronic cigarettes, it's in a small, almost looks like an eyedropper container or even some of those candies, have you seen, that you drip into your mouth," said Julie Weber, the Missouri Poison Center Director. "And just 1 milliliter is enough to cause a problem in a young child."

The message from poison centers in Missouri and Illinois is to make sure e-liquid for e-cigarettes are kept out of a child's reach.